Boren, E. T., House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 616 W. Denton in Ennis was built around 1887 as a farmhouse for E. T. Boren and his wife Sallie. Boren was a prominent landowner, farmer and cattle raiser. The house follows the I-house form: a center hall plan one room deep, with weatherboard siding, a gable roof, double-hung wood windows, brick chimneys and a five-bay front typical of its construction date. A three-bay hip-roofed porch with square wood supports runs across the south side, and the entrance has a transom and sidelights. The rear was rebuilt around 1935, and early twentieth century changes to the center bay and porch blend with the original design. The house has been moved to a residential area northwest of the central business district. It was listed because it is a rare local survivor of the I-house, a type once common on rural homesteads in the region. It remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare surviving local example of an I-house, a form once common for rural homesteads in the region. Early twentieth century changes to the center bay and porch are considered harmonious with the original form. It is also tied to E. T. Boren, a prominent landowner, farmer and cattle raiser.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86002436, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 616 W. Denton, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002436 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | I-house |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; rear of house rebuilt about 1935. Present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.32904, -96.63588 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86002436.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000571
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.